A famous Chinese curse states, “May you live in interesting times.” Global opportunity for business is better than ever, and yet, it often means travel to places without the security and stability of home.
Whether exploring new markets in Brazil or putting together mineral deals in Kazakhstan, both developing locales and crowded major cities have their risks. You’ll want to be prepared if adversity comes your way.
Food and water
In densely populated cities, a common risk is an extended power outage that affects transportation and food and water access. If you stay on a lower floor, your street access is easier. If a lack of electricity stops the water pumps, for a time, a lower floor gets the gravity feed of water already in the higher pipes.
Most hotels offer complementary bottles of water. Ask for as many as they’ll give you, then ask the maid service to leave a few more. If there’s no power or water, you can hole up and get by with a dozen bottles for a few days.
It’s a good idea to have a box of energy bars, which are quite stable and long lasting. If food sources are suddenly unreliable, they’ll keep you going.
Medication
Get a prescription for a full bottle of broad-based antibiotics. Have your physician explain their use should you become ill in a place with questionable medical facilities. While indiscriminate use of antibiotics isn’t a good idea, if you fall and scrape your leg in a small town on the edge of the jungle, a preventative dose might save your life.
Also, take an extra two weeks of your regular medicines, in case flights are grounded and you get stuck.
Contact information
In your shirt’s front pocket, carry a card with your name and a request to call your hotel, written in the local language. Typically, the hotel concierge can prepare this for you. If you’re incapacitated, someone assisting you can contact the hotel, where a copy of your passport and home contact list can be left with the manager.
In that same pocket, a plastic laminated card with medical conditions and a list of medicines can be helpful.
Also, use a label maker to add, in the local language, your name, hotel and hotel phone number to the back of your cellphone, tablet and laptop. I have left all three on trains. While most disappear, people will call to say they’ve found your device — if they can read the message and have a local number. Add a note about a reward as an incentive.
Hotspots
Should you end up where personal safety is an issue, first, skip the local taxis. Have the hotel provide a car all day, so you have a consistent driver and know, at all times, the safety of the vehicle.
If hotel security is lax — for a while I traveled in the “kidnap for ransom” capital of the world — order three cans of soda from room service, and stack the empty cans on top of the doorknob. This instant intrusion alarm often scares anyone trying to slip into your room. I had a few nights when the cans went tumbling but nobody tried to come in.
Sometimes the most exciting business takes place in the most risky locales. Don’t pass up the opportunity, but these tips can make your trip more secure.
David Iwinski Jr. is the managing director of Blue Water Growth. A global business consulting firm with extensive experience and expertise in Asia, Blue Water Growth services include merger and acquisition guidance, private capital solutions, product distribution, production outsourcing and a wide variety of business advisory services for its Western and Asian clients.
